Good Night MIles!

Miles is often difficult to get into bed.  At age 9, he's watched is big brothers and sister get to stay up later than him, and his oldest brother "G-man" as his "real mother" would call him, would disrupt the entire family by sleeping all day and staying up all night. Belligerent and noisy, "G" would set a not-very-good example for Miles, who emulated him in many ways.

Fortunately, Miles has become much easier to handle in the weeks since "G" left for boarding school, but there still is the issue of getting him into bed and asleep.

First, he must strike just the right pose for starting out in the bed.

Hmmmm... where did he pick this pose up from?  I suppose it's from "listening" to VH1 again.  "Listening" to VH1 is how Miles picks up all of his best dance moves!  I know.  I've caught him "listening" late into the evening when he thinks I'm not going to notice that his TV is on well past his bedtime.

Then,  it's necessary to borrow my camera and record an image of a poster of his favorite video game, "Halo Reach."  Never mind that Halo Reach is a thing of the past in this home.  These days, any time I have had it with a particular materialistic item the kids are playing with or want, is inappropriate, and/or it needs to be put away or gotten rid of, I threaten to "Halo Reach" it.  It doesn't matter, though.  Miles is still obsessed by the whole concept and especially the game.  (We no longer allow any "M" rated video games into the home where children for which it is age-inappropriate can have access and amazingly, Miles has reverted to playing those that ARE appropriate for his age group.)

Then, there's the first laying down in the bed and being tucked in.

Ok, shut up now.  It was a cold night and we needed "layers" to keep warm!  There was the requisite sheets and blanket.  Three regular pillows on top of his head.  His decorative black throw pillow.  His teddy bear.  And I thought the Sombrero was a nice touch to finish the scene off.  Miles was giggling like crazy under this pile of this-and-that - lol!  :D  :D  :D

Of course, he's an active 9-year-old and despite me warning him not to move until his father arrived to tuck him in and kiss him goodnight (a daily ritual and a sweet one at that, he could not stay still.

 

After quite a bit of coaxing (and a little bit of gentle threatening - lol!), the child is now ready to be tucked in by Eric.  Christiane (a long-time tremendously good friend and recently his sitter on the days/evenings when Eric & I are both out of the house... we're so incredibly lucky that she found time in her busy schedule to help us!) watches over him, warning him not to move again and again (and also ensure that he is safe and able to breathe) as I quickly gather Eric up before the scene is spoiled.

As Eric &; I  approach, Christiane turns the lights out.  This new bedtime routine is a surprise for Eric.  And Eric plays along perfectly, entering the room and taking it from there like a pro:

As Eric leaves the room after this scene is completed, Miles springs out of bed, begging Daddy to "do it one more time!"  We promise Miles that if he is good, gets back into bed now and goes right to sleep, Daddy will beat him into submission and sleep again the following night.  Miles instantly behaves, and is asleep within 15 minutes.

This routine has become a regular ritual in our home....Miles being pummeled with pillows to sleep.

Miles loves it.  So do I and so does Eric.  It's wonderful to see a Father-Son relationship growing and building as we move more and more towards a normal family structure rather than Eric struggling just to keep afloat.

Despite all the transitional issues that any 54 year old woman who has been single and childless for her whole life would have when suddenly trust into the type of crazy situation I have been thrown into, there's no question that I love my family and I love my new life.